NBA Notes

Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao will miss the rest of the season because of a blood clot in his lung, the team reported Monday.

Cavaliers management said that he is expected to fully recover but will need to take blood thinners for about three months. Varejao has been in the hospital since Thursday and will remain there for several more days of treatment.

The 6-foot-11 Brazilian was averaging career highs of 14.1 points and 14.4 rebounds this season. Varejao, 30, missed the final 41 games of last season because of a broken wrist.

The Cavaliers are 10-32, second-to-last in the Eastern Conference.

TOP OVERALL PICK REINJURES ANKLE

New Orleans Hornets rookie forward Anthony Davis sprained his left ankle and sat out the second half against Sacramento. Davis had 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting with six rebounds in the first half. It was unclear when the injury occurred, but Davis limped to the locker room at the break. A stress fracture in the same ankle forced Davis to miss 11 games earlier in the season. He is averaging 13.2 points and 8.0 rebounds this season. Davis was the first pick in last year's NBA draft.

ROSE TO RETURN TO FULL PRACTICE SOON

Chicago Bulls star point guard Derrick Rose soon could be going through full-contact drills in practice.

Coach Tom Thibodeau said Rose is “very close” to doing just that, and it'll be “the next step” in his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Asked if it could happen this week, Thibodeau responded, “Yeah — it could.”

Thibodeau said Rose will have to go through full-contact drills “for an extended amount of time” and that he won't be playing after just one or two days of contact.

While Rose inches closer to making his season debut, the Bulls were without Luol Deng against the Lakers. Deng sat out because of a sore right hamstring.

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